Iman Shumpert exposing one Steph Curry weakness could help the Suns overpower the Warriors

“Me getting the chance to play under Ty Lue, I watched a ton of film. With knowing that Steph Curry is just nursing that right knee. To see him go left as much as he did was actually concerning,” Shumpert said.

He added, “They didn’t force his right leg to be his brakes. If you notice, everything he shot, he fell and made sure that most of his balance relied on his left leg.”

Curry recently returned from a right knee issue that kept him out for nearly two months, and even in his dominant outing against the Clippers, much of his scoring came with rhythm and balance favoring his left side.

That is not a flaw in isolation, but it becomes one if a defense is disciplined enough to target it.

Why the Phoenix Suns can use this approach in the Play-In game vs. the Warriors

Shumpert also made it clear what he expected defenses to do in response, stating, “I just expected them to make him shoot from the right side of the floor.

“Make sure that the release is not going to be as quick because he would have to make sure he corrals, get his balance, and make sure it’s a good shot every time. It was concerning to me.”

This lines up directly with what Phoenix has already shown. The Suns have consistently tried to shade Curry to his right side, using high pressure and early pickups to disrupt his rhythm and force tougher looks.

In their regular-season meetings, that approach helped limit his efficiency, holding him to lower three-point numbers compared to his usual standards.

With defenders like Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, and Collin Gillespie capable of chasing him off screens, the Suns have the personnel to execute that plan again.

The challenge is discipline. Curry just proved against the Clippers that even when defenses apply pressure, one lapse is enough for him to take over a game.

Read more:

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• A shocked Stephen A. Smith reacts to Steph Curry and Warriors’ Play-In triumph over LA Clippers